1. Field of Disclosure
This disclosure relates in general to wellhead assemblies, and in particular to a hanger for supporting a tubular member within a wellhead assembly.
2. Description of Related Art
When drilling and completing subterranean wells, such as wells used for hydrocarbon production, successive joints of tubular members are run into the well through a wellhead. The successive joints of tubular members can be connected together with collars. Collars generally have a larger outer diameter than the outer diameter of the tubular members. There can be times when the tubular members become stuck and cannot move upwards or downwards. In such a situation, the tubular member may not be able to be supported by the wellhead by the planned or existing support mechanism and a backup or emergency support for the tubular member is required.
Current methods for providing such backup or emergency support can include cutting off the tubular member within the outer well member and installing slips over an end of the tubular member that can land on a support shoulder in the outer well member and grip the tubular member. After cutting the tubular member, the tubular member can remain suspended within the outer well member without being secured or supported, providing a possibility of the tubular member falling within the outer well member and causing potential damage to the well, creating a possible safety and environmental risk, and requiring time and money to retrieve the fallen tubular member.
If the tubular member is not cut, a collar may be located along the tubular member above the support shoulder. The slips will need to have a sufficiently large inner diameter to pass by such a collar and still be able to grip the tubular member having a smaller outer diameter. Some current slip hangers used to pass over a collar are expandable. However when the expandable slip hanger and slips contract to grip the tubular member, there is a gap between the outer diameter of the slip hanger and the inner diameter of the outer well member. As such, the slip hanger can move radially outward and the slips can potentially lose their grip on the tubular member.